Chinese violet
Viola inconspicua

Family: Violaceae

What it is like

A herb without a stem. It keeps growing from year to year. It grows 6-10 cm high. The rootstock are buried deeply in the soil. Leaves and flowers emerge in the spring. The leaves come from the base from the roots. The leaves are oval or triangle shaped. They vary in shape or size. The flowers are purple. The flowers are fertilised before the flower opens. They do not have a smell. The fruit are oval capsules.

There are about 500 Viola species.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in grassland and the edges of forests in China below 1,600 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, SE Asia, Taiwan, Vietnam

How it is used for food

The young leaves are eaten.

It is a famine food. It is sold in local markets in China.

Edible parts

Leaves, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Hoa-tim an, Li tou cao, Tsingimba

Synonyms

Viola betonicifolia subsp. novaguineensis D. M. Moore; and several others